Thoughts on Myanmar

We arrived here on Sunday 23rd and its Christmas Day today. We've now travelled with our group down to Mawlamine 180 miles south of Yangon.

So for my own benefit here's what we've seen

Phones don't work. There is only 1 cellphone network which is owned by the government so 'foreign' mobiles don't work. So we can't make any calls without buying a new phone.

The Internet works but slowly and only some sites. No western news sites work or it seems anything with any news content. Some travel sites work, wiki sites work but I haven't yet worked out what does or doesn't. Update as you can see by the late posting of this the blogger site isn't easy to upload too. We've had limited Internet access

Men almost all wear sarongs - very few wear trousers.

They drive in the right in Myanmar - opposite to UK . However most cars are right hand drive so its a really strange way to drive. That's because most cars are second hand imports from Japan and Korea . The lorries and buses tend to be Chinese so steering wheel on the left. Very strange. It's beginning to change as the Chinese influence grows and cars begin to import from there.

Arriving at the airport in Yangon was a scene of clean , modern calm - with blokes in dresses . The taxi to the centre and our hotel was a scene of cleanliness and calm. Two and three lane roads, manicured parks and gardens, no litter and NO TUK TUKS AND MOTORBIKES. Which was strange. Our guide George has explained to us that motorbikes aren't allowed in Yangon, neither are cycles. So cars only- and as I've said cars are second hand only. The price of these has dropped from $50,000 to $25,000 as the government drops restrictions on imports - actually they license people to import cars ( the suspicion within Myanmar is that the people who get licensed are the government members who get rich from this)!! Out in the country scooters and bikes are more widespread - these cost $400 to buy. It shows the power of a socialist government when they can suppress the people to such an extent to limit there ability to travel, trade and prosper

The consequence of this is lots of pick up tuck buses driving around completely overcrowded - people hanging off the back and on the roof!

We've stayed in 2 hotels so far and their good quality hotels are pretty average, as you would expect. The tourist infrastructure will take time to build up , hotels , guesthouses, reasonable restaurants don't exist so eating out is a challenge with limited choice.

Another noticeable difference is the lack of trading. In most other countries in Asia people are trading everywhere on the streets. Markets are everywhere , people set up little shops in their house fronts and sell sell sell. It's not the case here. I guess due to regulation. So the streets are quieter (still dark as limited street lighting) . But the ability to pop out and get some water, a beer , get your washing done isn't yet in place.

Myanmar is richer than Cambodia and Laos. The road infrastructure is much much better than those countries. In Yangon and the surrounding areas the roads are pretty good. Out in the country the houses look the same as other places with high dependence on farming and plenty of bamboo houses but it looks more organised and less cramped

 

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